California Beach Has Rock ‘n Sushi

What do you look for when you go out to eat? Depending on the occasion and how much I have in my wallet, I look for the basics, good food at reasonable prices. Here’s one of the best.

One of my husband’s favorite places is California Beach Rock ‘n Sushi. We’ve been going to California Beach for about a decade. The service there is friendly and quick and the food good. We go there so often that the waitresses know what we are going to order before we order. We do surprise them at times by changing our order.

One of the best deals is the sushi at the bar during happy hour. Fresh ahi tataki, hamachi, unagi, tamago (egg) and other sushi are available for $1.50 a piece from 5 – 6 p.m. daily. Another good deal is the early bird special served daily from 5 – 6:30 p.m. The triple combo dinner comes with miso soup, shrimp and vegetable tempura, a choice of teriyaki chicken or grilled salmon and sushi or sashimi (usually ahi and salmon) or California roll, salad and rice for $12.99. The special is ono and is enough to share with another person if you’re not too hungry.

Try the chester chicken appetizer which is great with beer. The fried chicken nuggets are coated in a spicy garlic soy sauce and makes a meal with a side order of rice. My husband’s all time favorite appetizer is the blackened ahi ($11.99). The seasoned and sliced seared tuna comes with sauteed onions and a mustard dipping sauce.

My favorite special sushi roll is the crunchy roll ($12.00) which has shrimp tempura, cucumber, yamagobo, kaiware, and spicy mayo coated with crunchy tempura flakes and smelt roe. My husband likes eel so he prefers the Caterpillar roll which has eel, tamago and cucumber with an avocado shell and coated with eel sauce. We both like the Downey Roll ($14.00) which has crab meat, shrimp tempura, blackened ahi, and is topped with fried onions. So onolicious.

If you haven’t been to California Beach Rock ‘n Sushi, give it a try. The food is good and the prices reasonable. The Japanese restaurant and sushi bar is located at 404 Ward Avenue. Parking is available behind the restaurant or available in the Ross’ Dress for Less lot across the street. Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner from Monday through Thursday is from 5 p.m. through 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, California Beach closes at 11 p.m. and on Sunday they close at 9 p.m. Call (808) 597-8000 for reservations.